


play date

by qjett



Category: Adventure Time
Genre: Friends With Benefits, Genderbending, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nothing too explicit, Softcore Porn, Songfic, They love each other, but they're stupid, i literally can't write porn i'm sorry i don't know what's wrong with me, like lowkey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25751101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qjett/pseuds/qjett
Summary: Prince Gumball was a civilized, dignified young man. A prince, a noble, royalty. Which, of course, meant he had an image to uphold. He had to be kind as well as fair, clever yet humble, stern but not threatening. His people, his kingdom, they all looked up to him for everything.That's why his affair with Marshall Lee had to be kept such a secret.-inspired by "play date" by melanie martinez
Relationships: Prince Gumball/Marshall Lee
Comments: 2
Kudos: 140





	play date

**Author's Note:**

> uhhh i wrote this like 4 years ago for a one-shot anthology inspired by songs on wattpad and i really liked it so i revised it and now it's this. if you want to read the original you can check my old wattpad scrotumsempra (although i was like 14/15 when I wrote those so ew). enjoy!

_ You call me on the telephone, you feel so far away _

_ You tell me to come over, there's some games you wanna play _

_ I'm walking to your house, nobody's home _

_ Just me and you and you and me alone _

_ - _

**P** rince Gumball was a civilized, dignified young man. A prince, a noble,  _ royalty _ . Which, of course, meant he had an image to uphold. He had to be kind as well as fair, clever yet humble, stern but not threatening. His people, his kingdom, they all looked up to him for everything.

That's why his affair with Marshall Lee had to be kept such a secret.

Gumball didn't even remember how such a thing happened, really. Their relationship was always complicated. Gumball had a soft spot for Marshall, of course, but  _ wow, _ if Marshall didn’t just know how to push every single one of his buttons. Perks of having someone in your life who used to be your closest friend, so close it was like you were  _ two parts _ of  _ one person _ , and then having a weird fallout but still being a part of the same friend group.

It was a culmination of things. Their history certainly being a big part of how they went from grudging allies to...something much more intimate. During a heated argument a couple years back (two years and five months,  _ not _ like Gumball was keeping track), Marshall got too close to his face in anger. His red eyes blazing like a fire, lips pulled back in an awful sneer with fangs on full display, and every detail of his face magnified... Gumball just  _ had  _ to pull him close by his shirt collar and kiss him. He was too beautiful, too frightening, too  _ exhilarated _ to not be kissed. 

There’s no amount of money in the world that would stop Gumball from paying to relive that moment. The way Marshall’s lips froze, for only a second, before he reacted so viscerally Gumball thought Marshall had knocked him out cold and he was dreaming the rest. The way it still felt like fighting, but somehow their points came across even clearer. And then, eventually, they forgot what they were fighting about. Gumball was the first to pull back, in a  _ What The Eff Am I Doing _ moment (being impulsive yet responsible, he gets those moments a lot). And Marshall… he just swiped his thumb against Gumball’s bottom lip and licked off the spit. Then walked away, like he was better than Gumball. Like the disgustingly sexy bastard he is.

Their angry make-out sessions turned into something more, and fast. How else could it turn out? Gumball was a tightly-wound perfectionist that was in charge of an entire kingdom with science being his only hobby, and Marshall… well, Marshall was just horny. Eventually they were meeting just about five times a week to get out all their pent-up emotions. Whenever Gumball was stressed or Marshall had a lot of energy (both were frequent circumstances), they would show up at each other's doorsteps and sex would ensue. That’s the thing about screwing your ex-best friend, you never lose that connection. The way you can exchange one glance and know exactly what the other person is saying in their minds. At least, Gumball never lost it with Marshall. He just assumed others were the same. 

It was a secret. That was non-negotiable, so much so that they didn’t even need to discuss it. Gumball never had the time for relationships, but if he did, he wouldn’t go public unless he was getting married within the week. He didn’t want his people to think of him differently. And there was no need to tell anyone anything, anyway, because they weren’t  _ anything _ . But he didn’t like keeping secrets, no matter how much was riding on the secret being kept. The first time Fionna made them all hang out together after Marshall and Gumball had started their... _ meetings _ ....had Gumball sweating from every crevice in his body. 

It actually wasn't even that terrible. Gumball followed Marshall’s lead, because if the vampire didn’t want Fionna to know that there was something between them, Gumball was going to respect that. In fact, the coolness of Marshall's attitude had Gumball wondering if he had dreamt the whole thing. Until, as the prince was sitting on Fionna's couch, Marshall came up behind him and nipped his ear. When Gumball looked at Fionna and Cake in a panic, he let out a breath of relief when he saw they weren't looking. He had watched Marshall float back down on the other end of the couch, face nonchalant. It was almost erotic, but Gumball wouldn’t let Marshall know that.

The secret was stressful. As fun as it was sneaking around like teenagers, Gumball didn’t like keeping things from Fionna and Cake. They were two of his closest friends. And he  _ wished _ he could talk about this with them, because of what happened whenever Gumball was with the vampire king. His heart raced and his stomach would do acrobatic flippity-flops. It was too much, way too much, because every thought was consumed by lips and tongue and chest and fingers and voice and hair, and all of it was  _ Marshall’s _ . It almost made him think he was in lo-

“No,” Gumball said out loud, a knee-jerk reaction to his thoughts. He was alone a lot, so talking to himself was second nature. Luckily, it shocked him enough that he remembered he was still sitting at his desk and it was getting very late. The clock on the wall showed it was nearing 1AM. 

Gumball ran a hand over his face, shoving his glasses into his messy pink hair, then setting them on his desk. All these hours at his desk and he was still busy writing an outline for the taxing treaty that would help the economy of both Wildberry Kingdom and Candy Kingdom. He felt like bashing his head into his desk several million times. His eyes burned and his body felt like lead.

Suddenly, a knock on his door sounded. "Your Highness?" It was Peppermint Maid.

"Yes, Pepper?" Gumball called.

She walked into the room, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "Marshall Lee is on the phone for you, your Highness."

_ Thank God,  _ Gumball said to himself.  _ I seriously need a distraction.  _ "Of course, I'll be right there." 

He followed Peppermint Maid outside his room and around the corridor. There was one of the many telephones in the castle, and Gumball rushed to pick it up. He placed a hand on the speaker and looked at Peppermint Maid. She flushed and scurried away. While she may have her suspicions, Gumball would never confirm nor deny. 

"Marshall," Gumball breathed, trying not to sound lovestruck. It was a little too difficult to do so for his liking.

"Hey, Gumwad," the vampire king replied, and Gumball could just  _ hear  _ the smirk. "You busy right now?"

"Of course I am," Gumball scoffed. "But I'll be over in a minute."

"See ya then, your Sweetness," Marshall chuckled. It was a low, dark sound that made Gumball shiver. He hung up the phone and hurried to his room to pull on a pair of jeans and grab a jacket. Running down the stairs to fetch Lord Monochromicorn, he passed by a Banana Guard. 

"Prince Gumball?" the guard asked.

"I'll be out for a while," Gumball replied, brushing past and stepping outside. He knew he seemed too eager, but it was either seeing Marshall or dying of boredom and exhaustion at his desk. Sex always won out. He whistled, and Lord Monochromicorn was in front of him in an instant. 

"Marshall's, please," the prince said, mounting the creature. Lord Monochromicorn neighed, stomping and scratching at the floor to tap out  _ Ready _ in Morse code. 

His heart fluttered in anticipation as they took off into the night.

_ - _

_ We're just playing hide 'n seek, it's getting hard to breathe _

_ Under the sheets with you _

_ I don't wanna play no games I'm tired of always chasing, _

_ Chasing after you _

_ - _

The second Gumball knocked on Marshall Lee's door, it swung open and the vampire pulled him in by his jacket. He pinned Gumball against the now-closed door, ruby eyes hungry and lustful. His flannel was only buttoned halfway, exposing Marshall's grey chest, resembling stone in both its chiseled features and cold, hard texture. Gumball felt his mouth dry up instantly.

"Long day?" Gumball teased, smirking at Marshall. 

Marshall hissed, eyes flashing. "No teasing. Clothes off." 

Gumball made no objections and threw his jacket off, Marshall's cold hands sliding up the prince's t-shirt, then settling back down on his hips. He buried his head in Gumball’s neck to kiss and suck the skin, and  _ God did it feel good. _ The vampire lifted Gumball up and Gumball wrapped his legs around Marshall's waist (that was the great thing about screwing a vampire, how  _ strong  _ they are. Gumball was a sucker for a strong man). Marshall flew at almost lightning speed up the stairs and into his room. He tossed Gumball onto the bed and Gumball couldn't breathe.

Clothes flew across the room, their lips always finding each other even in the dim light of the moon, and then Marshall's hand, so cold and gentle and  _ perfect _ , was wrapped around Gumball's dick. Gumball clawed his fingers down Marshall's back, head tilted into the pillows, mouth wide open and struggling to let out a sound. His own handjobs never felt as good as when Marshall was doing them. Marshall sucked and bit at Gumball's neck, no doubt leaving spots of grey where the color was stripped. The candy prince knew Marshall couldn't resist a treat here and there while they were  _ intimate _ . It was kind of hot.

"Please, Marshall," Gumball gasped, throat constricting. "I  _ need  _ you, God, I need you so bad." He shifted his hips to grind against Marshall's, keeping the vampire's hand trapped in between. Marshall  _ squeezed _ , his hands a vice around Gumball’s dick, and then kept moving. If he didn’t stop soon, this session would be over before it even started. And that’s just not good.

"Slow down, Bubba," Marshall purrs, lips nibbling on his ear. "Just let me play with you for a little."

"This isn't a goddamn play date, Marshall," Gumball groaned. "It's sex." 

Marshall licked his lips. He loved it when he pushed the uptight prince to his limits (and if Gumball was being honest, he loved being teased, too). "As you wish, your majesty." 

Gumball spent two glorious hours under the sheets with Marshall, the vampire’s hands and lips working magic and each stressful thought fading away with each thrust. As they climaxed for the last time (Gumball’s fourth and Marshall’s second), Gumball closed his eyes and imagined they were making love instead of...whatever this was. Sweet and soft, like Marshall was treating him with care. Like a lover would. It was pathetic and Gumball was embarrassed even for himself. 

Marshall pulled out of the prince slowly and flopped beside Gumball with a sigh, brushing his black hair off his forehead. "Damn, Bubba, that was fucking amazing. Must've been pretty stressed today, huh?" He grinned and swiped a finger in Gumball's pink-tinted cum, popping it in his mouth.

"That's disgusting, Marshall," Gumball said, glaring. He wasn’t looking, but he hoped his dick didn’t twitch at the sight of Marshall licking up his cum.

"Sweet," Marshall winked. He got up and slipped on his black underwear. Gumball watched as his perfect ass got covered by tight fabric. "You stayin' the night?" 

Gumball nodded. Marshall turned off his light and jumped into bed, turning his back to Gumball. Gumball let out a small sigh. Marshall wasn’t much of a cuddler. Quite honestly, neither was Gumball, but he never thought it would hurt to try. Being wrapped up in Marshall’s arms, his cool chest against Gumball’s back. Maybe he would bury his head in Gumball’s hair and breathe in deep, giving it a kiss before falling into a deep slumber. Their legs entangled, feeling like the most natural thing in the world...

The prince was in deep. 

-

_ I don't give a fuck about you anyways, _

_ Who ever said I gave a shit about you?  _

_ You never share your toys or communicate _

_ I guess I'm just a play date to you _

_ - _

__ Gumball awoke in the middle of night, cold and shivering. When he looked over at Marshall, the vamp was snoring and had stolen all the blankets.  _ Typical. _ Gumball rolled his eyes and sat up, tiptoeing out the room to get more blankets. He grabbed his underwear and slipped it on, walking through Marshall's house in the dark.

He usually doesn't stay when they meet at Marshall's house, and Marshall leaves right after they orgasm when they’re at the palace. It was only recently, after a long week in the Candy Kingdom and a three hour marathon of sex one night when Gumball crashed on Marshall's bed and the vampire let him. And since their ( _ sigh) _ booty-calls were so late, it just made sense to crash with each other.

It was very obvious Marshall never had people stay in his bed because he slept as though he were alone. Sprawled, snoring, and wrapped up in all the blankets. That was the only reason Gumball knew where the extra blankets were. It would be charming, if they were in a relationship. But they weren’t, so Gumball just saw it as a painful reminder that Marshall Lee was not interested in anything more than sex.

Gumball ran a hand through his hair and sighed. His bottom ached and he was cold. Maybe it was just because he had really been overthinking things lately, but he was a little sad tonight.  _ Solution? Stop overthinking, idiot. _ He quickly got what he needed and hurried back upstairs. 

When he walked in, his breath was taken away. Marshall was on his stomach, the moonlight from the windows turning his back silver. His black hair fanned out on the pillow, looking almost blue in the light. Gumball's heart ached at the sight. The small, pathetic part of him wanted to imagine Marshall reciprocating his feelings. Wanted to imagine climbing into bed and accidentally waking Marshall, but Marshall just smiling sleepily and cuddling with Gumball. Like there was no better way to wake up but next to the prince.  _ Gross. _

He shook himself out of his fantasy. He wasn't supposed to care about Marshall. Not like that. Not like a lovesick puppy. If Marshall ever found out, it would end this secret of theirs and Lord knows Gumball needed this. Needed Marshall to want him the way he wanted Marshall. Gumball was never good at the “no strings attached” thing. 

Gumball climbed back into bed, tugging the blanket over him and staring at the ceiling. He didn't care about Marshall. How could he? Marshall was rude and brash and uncivilized. The vampire king cared about no one but himself, and would probably laugh in Gumball's face if he told him the truth. They had stopped being friends for a reason, even if Gumball had never stopped caring about Marshall. He probably never should have kissed him, but he had, and now he was laying in Marshall’s bed at 3 in the morning, cold and more alone than ever.

The prince never even knew what Marshall wanted. The man never  _ talked  _ to him. He did his best with the little he had; when Marshall was rough it meant he was stressed. The more gentle Marshall was, the more he knew when Gumball was upset. Kisses on the neck meant he was just as needy and sex-starved as Gumball. 

But that meant little to the prince. He wanted to  _ know  _ Marshall Lee, the  _ real  _ one. The one who loved pranks and played bass and sang beautifully. The one he knew Fionna knew. The one he thought he once knew. 

Gumball rolled his eyes at himself.  _ Get a grip, you idiot,  _ he thought.  _ It's never gonna happen. Never. _

_ - _

_ Wake up in your bedroom and there's nothing left to say _

_ When I try to talk you're always playing board games _

_ I wish I had Monopoly over your mind _

_ I wish I didn't care all the time _

_ - _

The second time Gumball wakes up, the sun is hitting his eyes. He sits up, the bed empty except for him. The bed feels cold under his touch, but that doesn’t mean much when it comes to Marshall. He gets up and grabs his wrinkled t-shirt off the floor, slipping it on.

He makes his way down the stairs, listening to the faint strumming of Marshall's bass. The vampire is sitting upside down on his couch with his bass on top of him, in just underwear and an open flannel. Marshall really is effortlessly handsome, his bone structure sharp and his eyes bright.

Gumball leans against the living room doorway. Marshall hardly notices him and continues to strum. He could watch Marshall for hours, for a lifetime, if it wasn’t so weird. The prince allowed himself 35 seconds, already too long to be staring at someone, and then he spoke.

"Hey, Marsh," Gumball starts, heart pounding, "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to get together sometime this week."

Marshall shrugged, quite a feat while being upside down. "Yeah, sure. You know I come over whenever you need me."

"No, no," Gumball coughed, trying to work up every last nerve. "I mean, like normal people. Just hanging out. No sex. Not until later, at least."

Marshall looked up at Gumball, one eyebrow lifted. It was actually quite comical looking. The vampire had thick, black eyebrows that were very expressive. He wished he could read Marshall’s mind - the vampire so rarely said what he was truly thinking. At least, nothing vulnerable. He spoke out if it meant tearing someone down, a trait that Gumball could admit was not his favorite.

"Lemme get this straight," the vampire said, "you wanna 'hang out?'" He moved his bass to the floor and made quotations for  _ hang out.  _ "Like we're friends?" 

Gumball regretted this with all his being. He silently prayed for the floor to open up and swallow him whole, or for a monster to break in and start wreaking havoc in Marshall’s living room. Literally anything in the world to save him from this humiliation. 

"You know what? Forget I asked." Gumball walked back up the stairs and gathered his clothes. His face felt like fire as he tugged on his jeans, wishing he was interesting enough to hold Marshall's attention without asking him something as ludicrous as  _ hanging out.  _ What the  _ hell _ was he even thinking? 

He felt frozen hands slip around his waist and hot breath on the back of his neck. "A quickie before you jet, Bubba?" His words curled around Gumball’s ear, seductive and inviting. Gumball really did want a quickie, but the feeling of cold fingers inching their way down his jeans snapped him back to reality. His painful, humiliating reality.

Gumball wormed out of Marshall's arms. "I actually have to go. Prince stuff. I'll...be in touch." He walked away, down the stairs and out the door. His heart felt like it was contracting to the size of a walnut. But he refused to do anything that would reveal how he really felt, so he rushed to the mouth of the cave Marshall lived in, giving a sharp whistle. Hopefully Monochromicorn wouldn’t be too long...

"Hey, Gumwad, wait!" Gumball turned around to see Marshall floating towards him. Gumball's hopes lifted and —

"You forgot your jacket, Gum-For-Brains," Marshall sniggered. Gumball's cheeks flushed a dark pink as he snatched his jacket from Marshall's grey hands.  _ I just need to go home. _

"Thanks," Gumball hissed, venom dripping from his words. He heard a  _ whoosh  _ and a neigh behind him. "My ride's here." He mounted Lord Monochromicorn and they took off, leaving the vampire standing alone.

_ - _

_ Ring around the rosy _

_ I never know, I never know what you need _

_ Ring around the rosy _

_ I wanna give you, wanna give you what you need _

_ - _

Gumball didn't keep in touch. Whenever Marshall called, he brushed it off by saying he was busy. And busy, he stayed. The prince hated lying, so he made sure he kept busy from the moment he woke up until late at night. Every night he crashed into a dreamless sleep and every morning he ached with the thought of the day's activities. But truly anything was better than giving in to the addiction he had to Marshall Lee.

Unfortunately for Gumball, he could only go so long without Marshall before he started to crave his touch. Several times he found himself trying to dial Marshall and then hanging up. This Marshall detox needed to happen sooner or later. God, it was like Marshall was heroin and Gumball the junkie. He needed to leave while he still had some dignity before he ended up completely crushed. He asked Peppermint Maid to stop him before he called Marshall, and she was good at keeping him at bay. 

About two weeks in, Gumball was climbing into bed when his balcony doors flew open. He whined into his pillow, his whole body in so much pain his teeth hurt, but got back up to close the doors. His eyes felt like they were gluing themselves shut, his head swinging around like a bowling ball. As he trudged back to bed, a dark figure flew in front of him.

" _ God! _ " the prince squealed, tripping backwards. He put a hand on his rapidly beating heart, panting. "What the hell?!"

The figure, which looked to be a bat, landed in front of him. It then grew into Marshall Lee, who was chuckling softly as he was crouched into a squat. His heart did little to calm itself down, even though the threat was gone.

"Real smooth, Bubba," Marshall cackled. Gumball would've retorted, had it not been for the vampire's appearance. His hair was cropped short in the sides, like he'd shaved it, but the top was messier than ever. An earring dangled from his ear and his back tank top dipped to show his chest. This edgy rocker look made his body tingle and his tongue dry up like a desert.

"What are you doing here, Marshall?" Gumball asked, heartbeat starting to slow. Marshall rose up and held out a hand for Gumball to help him do the same. Gumball took it and was instantly pulled to Marshall's rock-hard chest. Marshall placed Gumball’s hand on his chest and held it there, sliding his other hand to anchor itself at Gumball’s waist. They were positioned like they were ready to tango, a  _ tableau vivant _ of an intimate dance.

"I missed sucking the pink from your pretty face," he whispered, face inches from Gumball's. "You've been ignoring me."

"I've been busy," Gumball muttered, hands fisting Marshall's tank top. The vocal fry of Marshall’s voice was going straight to his dick.

"No, you've  _ kept  _ busy," Marshall replied. His forked tongue flicked out to wet his lips. Seeing his tongue made Gumball want it between his thighs. "I've had a lot of time to myself to think about you avoiding me. Was it because of the hangout thing you were so into?" He cocked his head.

Gumball tried to wiggle out of the vampire's grasp, but Marshall held tight. He gave up, because being so tight against Marshall’s body would inevitably end in sex if he wasn’t careful. "Who cares? Go back home so I can sleep."

"So it  _ is  _ about the hangout!" Marshall exclaimed. His red eyes sparkled, like they usually do when Marshall realizes he’s right about something and can rub it in someone’s face. "Gumwad, you  _ hate  _ me. Why would you want to hang out with me? You can't even be around me without your blood pressure rising."

"I don't  _ hate  _ you, Marshall," Gumball huffed. "And how would you know, anyways? Maybe being stressed is what keeps me calm. It's the norm for me, being a prince and all." He tilted his chin to try and not look so weak in Marshall's arms. He couldn’t tell if it was working.

"Your heart beat picks up when you're near me," Marshall says. "That's how I know. You get all defensive for no reason sometimes, and you look at me when my back is turned. Glaring, I suppose."

Gumball felt like there was no air in the room. "I don't... You're just..." 

"Right?" Marshall grinned.  _ That stupid fucking twinkle again. _

"I don't hate you," Gumball repeated, slower this time (as if that would get the point across). "And I'm too exhausted to deal with you right now. Why do you care if I'm pissed at you or not?"

"Because," Marshall said matter-of-factly, "you're my fuckbuddy. Fuckbuddies can't be mad at each other. Then they don’t get off." 

Gumball tensed his jaw and grit his teeth.  _ "Fuckbuddies?" _ he hissed. "That's all we are? After everything? Not even 'good friends with benefits?'" His heart felt like a trillion bees had stung it.  _ I guess I know what label he put on us now. _

"Whoa, Bubba, I didn't think —"

"That's right, you didn't think. You  _ never  _ think, Marshall!" Gumball pushed the vampire away, and this time, he let the prince go. "Go home. Bother Fionna and Cake. Get your own kingdom to run, jump off a cliff, swim across the world,  _ I don't care.  _ Just keep busy and stay away from me!" 

Marshall furrowed his brows, red eyes glistening in the dim lighting with all traces of mischief gone. He looked almost...hurt? It was gone in a flash. "As you wish,  _ your majesty. _ " He pushed past the prince and flung open the balcony doors, flying off into the night.

Gumball stared at Marshall's retreating figure, even when it was long gone, until there was a knock at his door.

"Your Highness?" Peppermint Maid started. "I thought I heard something... Prince Gumball?" She bustled over to him, holding his hand. "Why are you crying?"

Gumball reached to his face and was shocked to feel wetness. He wiped his eyes and shook his head. "It's nothing, Pepper. I'm heading to bed now."

"Of course, your Highness," Pepper said, curtseying and scurrying out the room, closing the door behind her.

Gumball got no sleep that night.

_ - _

_ I don't give a fuck about you anyways,  _

_ Who ever said I gave a shit 'bout you? _

_ You never share your toys or communicate, _

_ I guess I'm just a play date to you _

_ - _

The two men avoided each other like the plague for weeks. It wasn’t entirely intentional at first. Of course, Gumball didn’t want to talk to Marshall, let alone hook up with him. But a part of him assumed Marshall would break. Marshall always breaks when it comes to sex. Not this time, however. And eventually, Gumball stopped expecting a call. 

Fionna continuously tried to get them all to hang out, but Gumball would reject her offers. He didn’t want to see Marshall. But the isolation was brutal; he never felt so alone in his life. He missed Fionna and Cake and adventures and fun and damn it, even Marshall. While the vampire infuriated him, he needed Marshall more than ever now. Funnily enough, it was Marshall that he needed a distraction from. 

Peppermint Maid was concerned for him. The bags under the prince's eyes were prominent and he was quieter than usual. If he wasn't attending to princely duties, he was in his lab. If he wasn’t in the lab, he was asleep. Gumball knew she was worried, she doted over him more than usual. She was always there, in the corner of his eye, probably making sure he didn’t collapse.

He went almost two months without Marshall. Gumball found himself missing the vampire the most when he was alone in his bed, the quietness of the night making him overthink. He wanted Marshall, he wanted him  _ bad. _ But Marshall would never want him, not that way. Not the way Gumball wanted. The months alone proved that. 

It was a hot night, and he just had the worst week. He had gotten almost no sleep, and it felt like the weight of the world was on top of his shoulders.  _ And  _ the love of his life had no interest in him beyond his body. Suddenly, he was angry. It was like the realization that he had this whole  _ life _ that no one seemed to  _ care _ enough about, except him, and he just wanted Marshall. 

"Fuck it," Gumball whispered to himself. He rarely cursed, but he was so frustrated he didn't care anymore. He got up and pulled a pair of sweats on and a sweatshirt. Marshall was going to get a piece of his mind, because Gumball was fed up and  _ something  _ had to give. The prince walked to his balcony quietly and let out a sharp whistle. Lord Monochromicorn was there in an instant.

"Take me to Marshall's, Mo-Chro," Gumball said. The two flew off and were at Marshall's house in minutes. 

"Thanks," he smiled and stroked Monochromicorn. The horse whinnied, stomping out a  _ No problem  _ with his hooves. Gumball hoped he understood that his  _ thanks _ held so much more than thanking him for the ride. But he didn’t want to stall, not while he still had the confidence and rage to get this job done. He whipped around and didn’t wait to see Monochromicorn leave.

Gumball walked briskly to Marshall's place and knocked on the door. A few shuffles were heard from the opposite side of the door and, suddenly, the disheveled vampire king was standing in front of him. His hair twisted this way and that, nothing on but a pair of red pajama pants. His posture was  _ terrible _ . But he still made Gumball’s stomach erupt in butterflies.

"Bubba? What are you —?" Gumball cut him off by grabbing the back of his neck and slamming their lips together. Marshall let out a muffled moan and pulled Gumball in, not skipping a beat. As always.

The candy prince took out all his anger and confusion on Marshall. They spent hours under the sheets in different positions and poses. They spoke with their bodies and lips. Gumball memorized every inch of Marshall's body, knowing come morning that this would never happen again. He was going to get everything he could tonight, one last night with the man of his dreams. It was almost romantic.  _ Almost _ .

It was nearing early morning, and the pair were wiped out. They flopped onto bed, panting and aching. Marshall reached for Gumball's hand, intertwining their fingers lazily. Time seemed to slow as Marshall’s slender fingers ( _ All the better to play bass with, my dear _ , Marshall had rasped one night as he toyed with the candy prince) traced the lines on Gumball’s palm. A low chuckle escaped from Marshall’s lips. Gumball felt his heart speed up, and the other man stopped.

"Bubba, I —" he started, but Gumball shushed him.

"In the morning, Marshall," Gumball whispered. 

"You're staying?" The hopefulness made Gumball frown.  _ What did he want?  _

"Of course. I can leave, if you —"

"No, no. Stay." 

The two drifted off into sleep, fingers still intertwined. 

-

In the morning, Marshall was still in bed with Gumball. The prince gulped when he saw Marshall was faced towards him. His chest was rising and falling with every slow breath, his eyelids fluttering in his sleep. Marshall Lee was the most attractive man he’d ever seen. His mouth was open slightly, soft snores emitting from them. His hair was tangled like a black forest, so soft and wild that Gumball had to stop his hands from running through them.

He took Gumball's breath away. 

Gumball, in true creeper fashion, lightly traced a finger on Marshall's features. The slope of his nose, his prominent Cupid's bow, his dark eyebrows... His cold, grey skin made him look even more like a statue. Something so otherworldly, not even Michaelangelo could have created such a masterpiece. He moved away from Marshall's face. He wanted this to be his so bad, but that would never happen. Not the way he so desperately desired.

Marshall's eyes slowly opened, the usually harsh red eyes softened with sleep. He smiled, fangs poking out onto his lower lip. His left canine overlapped his incisor. And there was the slightest,  _ slightest _ smattering of dark grey freckles across his nose, like someone blew stardust onto his face. 

"Bubba," he muttered. "I'm tired." 

Gumball couldn’t take his eyes away from the man lying next to him.  _ Moment of truth, Gumball, _ he thought.

“Bubba…” Marshall drawled, and Gumball was fixated on that  _ stupid _ crooked fang.

"I'm in love with you," Gumball rasped.

-

_ You know I give a fuck about you everyday _

_ Guess it's time that I tell you the truth _

_ If I share my toys, will you let me stay? _

_ Don't wanna leave this play date with you _

_ - _

Marshall's eyes shot open, all tiredness gone. Gumball’s jaw dropped open, as if he wasn’t expecting the confession either. His mind was filled with white noise, and it was  _ so deafening. _ The minute Marshall opened his mouth to speak, it was silent. 

"What'd you say, Bubba?" Marshall whispered.

"I said I'm in love with you," Gumball repeated. "God, I'm so in love with you. I know I'm not supposed to love you or something —"

"No, Gumball," Marshall said, sitting up. His eyes were wild, almost panicky. Gumball’s heart panged at the sight. "No, you're  _ not  _ supposed to love me. Why the fuck did you think we ended so poorly in the first place?"

“We were never together,” Gumball said, but his voice was so low he could barely hear it himself.

“Don’t kid yourself,  _ Bubba _ ,” Marshall scoffed, looking towards the window. “You were my everything. Not a minute went by where I didn’t think about you. Just because we weren’t having sex, doesn’t mean we weren’t  _ together. _ ”

Gumball’s head felt foggy. He had never considered… Well, he never thought that Marshall…  _ What? _

“So, what’s the problem?” the candy prince breathed.

Marshall laughed, but it was short and humorless. “C’mon, Gumball…”

"Marsh, please," Gumball pleaded, sitting up on his knees. He grasped Marshall's hands and nestled his head into Marshall's neck. "Please, just tell me what you're thinking. What you're  _ really  _ thinking."

"I'm thinking you hit your head too hard against the headboard last night," Marshall said. Gumball tightened his grip and felt tears prickle behind his eyes. 

"I'm not crazy," Gumball said quietly. "I couldn't hold this weight on me anymore. You've always known I've cared about you, Marshall. Ever since we were younger. I know that telling you the truth, that I still love you, might end whatever the  _ hell  _ this is, but I don't care. I love you."

Marshall nuzzled his face into Gumball's pink hair, breathing in deep and planting a kiss right on the crown. "You really do have gum for brains if you think I don't feel the same, Bubba."

Gumball looked up to see Marshall's signature crooked grin plastered on his face. He bit his lip to contain his smile. 

"You love me?" the prince asked.

"I love you," Marshall replied. "Shit, Bubba, you're turning me soft."

Gumball laughed into Marshall's chest. He felt those  _ God damn fingers _ under his chin, lifting it up so Marshall could capture Gumball’s lips on his own. 

“You know,” Gumball said, pressed against Marshall, “we’ve never had morning sex.”

Marshall hissed and flipped them over, Gumball’s back hitting the soft sheets. They wasted no time in fixing the problem Gumball had brought up.

There were a lot of things people could say about their relationship. There were always things to be said about Marshall. But it didn't matter to Gumball what they might look like to others.

He had Marshall, and that was enough.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> the way I avoid my responsibilities and problems by re-writing a 4-year-old fan fiction about a kid's show that i haven't watched in like 7 years... my mind is so powerful. i hope you enjoyed, leave a kudos if you did (: i guess i'll see y'all in like two years lol


End file.
